Your-marketing-strategy-could-use-a-facelift---consider-including-link-bait-to-adhere-to-best-practise-SEO-principles-1562109001
Category: Research
Tags: business, storytelling
Now that you’re going to face the facts and the truth, it’s time to get your bottom line in shape. If you’ve ever gone back to the gym after a lazy winter of eating whatever you wanted and experienced the struggle of getting fit again, this is how your financial fitness is going to be as well.

The sad thing is many business owners have let the bottom line become a secondary focus. When sales boom and cash flow is strong, we tend to think everything is fine. Then the market tightens up, and your bank account becomes less happy than it once was, and the bottom line is sagging.

Time to hit the accounting gym.

It’s easy to take your eyes off the numbers or not even worry about them when cash flows freely. It’s not an excuse; it’s normal to lose sight of an activity that many do not like. The numbers side of the business, after all, isn’t sexy to every entrepreneur. Business openers and operators love the creative, fun, people side. However, you must have balance in everything for long-term success.

Take control of your business by digging in and knowing your numbers.

You can hire someone to do the work if you aren’t good at this task, but you must be included and understand where every penny goes. Ignorance is not bliss; it’s just ignorance.

You most likely have a few poor performers on your team that you’ve been holding onto out of fear. These “C-list” players are just dead weight that your “A” players are dragging around. They do only the minimum amount of work to avoid getting fired and don’t truly contribute to the growth of the brand. They also annoy the shit out of your “A” players.

Think of them like the entourage that hangs around big celebrities. They take the free stuff and hang around, never adding anything of value. As an operator, keeping these types of employees around means, you’re just paying for the privilege of their company — time to stop picking up the tab on those who don’t produce results.

Come to the reality that if you have people on your team who aren’t lifting your brand, they’re holding it down.

You may have a sense of loyalty to them because they’ve been with you from the beginning, and you feel an obligation to take care of them—stop it. If they’re not actively growing personally and professionally, they’re dead weight, dragging down your business. Truthfully, you’re hurting their growth by not being honest and giving them feedback that could help them become better.

With the rise of the internet, there has never been a better time to market your business. So many play small in the online world, and that’s truly sad. The entire world is accessible from your phone, why not show them who you are and what you stand for? One way to do this is through storytelling for business - getting people involved in the back story of your company.

Once again, this comes back to fear and your comfort zone. That comfort zone loves to keep you stuck in mediocrity (or worse). Time to break free from its grips and claim your market share. That requires you to do things differently and, in some cases, maybe even become a little edgy.